The updated Modberry M300 models are available on demand with pricing depending on project requirements (options / volume). Datasheets and other documentation will be released mid February, at which time, you should also be able to get more details on Modberry microsite.

Digi International has just announced the Digi XBee3 series of RF modules and cellular IoT modules. The modules will be available in the existing Digi XBee SMT amd through-hole form factor, as well as a new micro form factor (19×13 mm) that’s about a third of the size of the original XBee RF module.

The RF modules will first come with ZigBee 3.0 and IEEE 802.15 support, but Bluetooth LE will be available through a firmware update later on, and WiFi and DigiMesh version will be brought to markets too. The first cellular module supports LTE Cat.1, but the company will eventually launch NB-IoT and eMTC (LTE Cat M) versions for Europe and the US respectively.

Some of the shared key capabilities listed by the company:

Over-the-air (OTA) changes to devices in the field for bug fixes and new features

Dynamic changes to behavior as requested from cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure (e.g., enabling real-time decisions based on local conditions)

Continue to operate during communications outages by dynamically executed logic that is not cloud-dependent

There are three RF models operating at 2.4 GHz up to 250 kbps, and available in the three package mentioned in the introduction (micro, surface mount, and though-hole):

Digi XBee3 ZigBee 3.0 supporting Zigbee Pro protocol

Digi XBee3 DigiMesh

Digi XBee3 802.15.4

Those modules, and corresponding development kits are certified for the US, Canada, and Europe.

XBee 3 Zigbee Mesh Kit – Click to Enlarge

They will be three cellular IoT models only available as through-hole module:

Digi XBee3 Cellular Cat-1

LTE Bands 2,4,5,12 and soon Verizon Band 13

10 Mbps Downlink / 5 Mbps Uplink

Certified for US & Canada

Current Draw Tx/Rx – 1Amp / 10uA (Low Power Mode) @3.3V

Digi XBee3 Cellular LTE-M

Verizon Bands: 4 and 13, and AT&T Bands: 2, 4, and 12.

Up to 375 kbps Uplink and Downlink

For US & Canada

Current Draw Tx/Rx – 550mA / 20uA (Power Save Mode) @3.3V

Digi XBee3 Cellular NB-IoT

Bands 8 and 20

Up to 27.2 kbps Downlink, 62.5 kbps Uplink

Certified for Europe

Current Draw Tx/Rx – 550mA / 20uA (Power Save Mode) @3.3V

XBee 3 Cellular Development Kit – Click to Enlarge

More information is available about the modules and development kit on XBee product page. However, you won’t easily find any pricing information on their website, so instead I had to do a web search about the part numbers to find out XB3-24Z8CM-J micro Xbee Zigbee 3.0 module is sold for $14.70, the XBee3 Zigbee Mesh development kit (XK3-Z8S-WZM) for $99, Digi XBee3 Cellular Smart Modem, LTE CAT 1 (XB3-C-A1-UT-001) for $99 as well, and the corresponding AT&T development kit (XK3-C-A1-UT-U) for $199.﻿

RAK Wireless has launched a new development board powered by Mediatek MT7628A processor running OpenWrt with built-in WiFi and Ethernet connectivity, and audio codec and microphone to support Amazon Alexa voice service. Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-wave will also be supported via UART modules.

Wiscore Specifications:

Processor – Mediatek MT7628A MIPS24KEc CPU @ up to 580MHz

System Memory – 128MB DDR2 (64 MB optional)

Storage – 16 MB flash + micro SD card

Block Diagram – Click to Enlarge

Audio

MicroSemi ZL38062 for audio in and out

MicroSemi ZL38067 to handle “Alexa” keyword

single or dual digital microphone up to 5 meter range

Far field voice wake up

Support for echo cancellation

Connectivity

802.11 b/g/n WiFi 2×2 MIMO up to 300 Mbps

2x 10/100M Ethernet (LAN and WAN)

Optional UART modules for Bluetooth, ZigBeem Z-Wave

USB – 1x USB 2.0 host port

Expansion – Arduino headers with UART, I2C, SPI and GPIOs

Power Supply – 5V via power barrel or mini USB port

As you can see from the photo below, the main components are on separate boards (for some reasons) with a “mother board”, MT7628 module, and an audio sub-board.

As mentioned in the introduction, the MT7628 module runs an OS based on OpenWrt with RAK iGate middleware, and the company provides an SDK allowing you to develop solutions based on Amazon Alexa thanks to one codec that will detect “Alexa” keyword and wake up to the board, and another codec handling audio capture and output. The software architecture is shown below, Wiscore app for Android and iOS is provided to pair the EVK with Alexa, and more documentation and software can be found in the Wiki on Github.

WisCore Software Architecture

The solution can be used to build voice controlled home automation gateways or appliances, smart speakers, and robots. RAK Wireless sells a development kit with the three boards, an Ethernet cable, a speaker, a USB cable, two antennas, some Dupont wires, some jumpers, and a Quick Start Guide for $49 plus shipping. Visit the product page for a few more details.

UDOO is known for their Linux boards based on NXP and Intel processors for makers and the education market such as UDOO NEO or UDOO x86, but the company has now developed UDOO BLU and BLU SENSE battery powered modules based on Texas Instruments CC2650 ARM Cortex M3 microcontroller, both with Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, and 6LOWPAN connectivity, and the SENSE model adds some extra sensors.

The full documentation and resources for the boards are not ready yet, but an Android Library to manage the UDOO BLU board using BLE has been released on Github.

The company is already taking pre-orders for BLU ($17.50) and BLU SENSE ($19.50), and more information may be found on UDOO BLU product page. The company is also attending DROIDCON Italy 2017 in Milan, where you’ll be able to see BLU boards, and other UDOO boards in action, and the company will give some boards away as part of a Hackathon on April 8-9.

Xiaomi “Mijia” 6-in-1 smart home (security) kit is an home automation set with a WiFi & Zigbee multi-functional gateway with RGB light and speaker, a wireless switch, a window/door sensor, a human body sensor, temperature & humidity sensor, and a smart socket.

Programmable one key switch to turn off all lights/applicance, turn on one light at night, etc…

Human Body Sensor

Motion sensor allowing you to control other devices through the gateway

Power – CR1632 battery

Smart Socket

Zigbee connectivity to gateway

Reports actual power consumption

Overload protection

Set timing turn on and turn off

Temperature Humidity Sensor

Triggers alarm if the temperature and/or humidity are out of normal range

Log data over time via Gateway

Power – CR2032 battery

You’d normally use this kit using MiHome app from the Apple Store or Google Play, but if the rather mixed user reviews scare you off, the good news is that the Xiaomi gateway (Aqara) is now supported by Domoticz (Beta). Note that there appears to be multiple hardware versions of the gateway, and Domoticz will only work with version 2.0 or greater.

Domoticz integration still requires you to install MiHome app, as you need to enable developer options, specifically “LAN functions” to set a fixed IP address. Once this is done you’ll be able to select “Xiaomi Gateway” in Domoticz web interface, and input the IP address. After getting back to the Android / iOS app again to setup the sensors, Domoticz should automatically detect them.

Click to Enlarge

Once this is done, you should not need to access Xiaomi’s mobile app anymore, and can manage and control your devices with Domoticz web interface or/and Android app.

Support for Xiaomi Smart Home gateway was merged on Github last December, and if you want to find others experiences, there’s a long thread about it on Domoticz forums. The kit described above can be purchased from GearBest for $74.5 shipped. You’ll also find the kit on other shops such as DealExtreme with various options (4-in-1, 6-in-1, gateway only, etc…), as well as Aliexpress.

Power Supply – Unregulated 8V to 24V via power barrel; support for PoE (powered device)

Dimensions – 108 x 83 x 24 mm ( Aluminum housing)

Temperature Range – -40C to 85°C

IOT-GATE-iMX7 ships with Debian Linux pre-loaded, and the company can provide a full Linux Board Support Package (BSP) with Linux kernel 4.1.15, Yocto Project file-system and U-Boot boot-loader. The gateway also supports run mainline Linux, upstream Yocto Project and FreeRTOS BSP.

Click to Enlarge

In case you’d rather provide your own enclosure the SBC-IOT-iMX7 single board computer is also available. Both the gateway and SBC have a 10-year availability.

IOT-GATE-iMX7 price starts at $107 for volume orders, and SBC-IOT-iMX7 at $85. You’ll find more details, including pricing for options, on IOT-GATE-iMX7 product page.

Samsung did not make it easy to find which operating system is running on their modules, but after reading a few pages in the getting started guide, I found out the module should be running Fedora. The Wiki shows Fedora 22 with Linux 3.10.93, but they have upgraded to Fedora 24 since then. The product brief however includes more details about the BSP which including drivers for wireless community, multimedia, and other systems peripherals and interface, as well as power management code and security with secure boot, Artik cloud authentication API, and a crypto library based on OpenSSL.

Click to Enlarge

Since the module is not exactly convenient to use without baseboard, most people will likely start with Artik 530 developer kit with the “Interposer board” with an ARTIK 530 module, a “Platform board” that attached under the Interposer board with extra interfaces (MPI DSI/CSI, audio jack), an “Interface Board” with two female header to easily connect external hardware, and two wireless communication antennas.